rich cylinders in the middle

550 LTD, emgo pods, mac 4/1 with baffle, TK 22 carbs rebuilt and cleaned several times, dynatek coils, new pistons/rings, valves shimmed, all stock jets, anything bigger and it runs too rich on all cyl an fouls out plugs.
Runs pretty good for the most part, anything 1/4 throttle or higher runs awesome, very powerful in the upper band. Idle is still not smooth and the center plugs are still rich, outer plugs look perfect. Any thoughts?

Are you getting full voltage to your 2-3 coil?

Yes, and a strong spark.

check the float valve assemblies they may be leaking look for scoring on the tips of the needles

And would also check fuel height in float bowls, using the clear tube method.

Too high fuel level may result in too rich fuel mixture (evidenced by sooty spark plugs), even where everything else is okay.

Good Fortune!

Ok will re-check those things, I checked the fuel level before and it was good but maybe it has changed.
I did an experiment and removed the pod filters on the center carbs. It idled and ran the same as usual up till about 1/4 throttle then leaned out like crazy. Could barely rev it up past that so, I think that means it is running rich on just the low end, just the idle circuit? if the carbs are all clean and the idle jets are clean and stock then it must be the idle mixture screws right? If so i will need to remove the metal covers to get to them as I have not adjusted them. Maybe i should get one of those spark plug mixture checker thingies?

supergenius74 wrote:

...TK 22 carbs rebuilt and cleaned several times....

supergenius74 wrote:

...If so i will need to remove the metal covers to get to them as I have not adjusted them....

Rebuilding and cleaning carbs several times without removing the pilot adjustment screws --- would imo flunk Carbs 101. :laugh:

I will take them out and clean them, normally I do this but these are hard to get to. Another question, I bought some carb syncronizers and hooked them up to the rubber intake boots and started the bike, the needles jump irradically so i installed the little "damper valves" that came with the kit. After that the needles ran in the "intake leak" area which would cause a lean condition right? I find this confusing since the plugs seem to be running rich in the middle.

OK... Timing?

The Vac guages your using are probly designed for fuel injection - ignore the actual number readings on them - the idea is to get all four cylinders at teh same reading of vacuum. - You should have 4 guages, as a change to one carbs throttle/vac input, changes the other carbs vacuum as well.

You say cleaned carbs several times... this should never be required.

When cleaning carbs - they must be completely dissasembled, including mixture screws, choke assemblies, everything.

VISUALLY VERIFY fuel flow through the pilot circuit after cleaning - spray carb cleaner through the pilot circuit with the little straw, while watching in the carb bore to make sure that the cleaner squirts through all the small passage ways into the carb. It should look exactly the same on all carbs.
Then you dont have to worry about wether or not they are REALLY clean, nor have to "clean them again".

Your pilot mixtures should be slightly lean when set correctly. The colortune plug helps immensly if you can get one. If not - then you must tune the mixture screws by feel/ear.

But your not that far yet... problem only affecting inside 2 cylinders - usually spark, timing.

Could try swapping coils to see what happens...

Good luck.

There is a great post on these carbs here kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&...ew&catid=3&id=407335 that you should check out.